Cavalier India Defence Training Academy

U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo raises security threat from China after 2+2 talks. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a press briefing at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on October 27, 2020. | Photo Credit: PTI The United States will support India to defend its territorial sovereignty and liberty, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said on Tuesday. Addressing the media at the end of the 3rd India-US 2+2 dialogue in New Delhi, Mr. Pompeo also said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is “no friend to democracy”. The observations about the threats to Indian sovereignty came as New Delhi announced the signing of the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement on geospatial cooperation (BECA) with the U.S. “The United States will stand with the people of India as they face threats to their sovereignty and their liberty,” said Mr. Pompeo hinting at the ongoing tense scenario in eastern Ladakh where Indian and Chinese forces in a standoff si...

At 2+2 meeting next week, the two countries will look to push intelligence sharing pact BECA . With key deals LEMOA and COMCASA already signed, what does it mean for defence, particularly in light of LAC standoff? India and US have signed the LEMOA in 2016, COMCASA in 2018 and BECA is scheduled for the third 2+2 ministerial meeting (on November 3rd) India and the US are preparing for the third 2+2 ministerial meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh , and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark T Esper in New Delhi on October 26-27. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E Biegun visited India last week to lay the groundwork for the high-level visits 2+2 in 2018. One of the items on the agenda will be the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) — a pact with deep military implications. In the last two meetings, agreements known as LEMOA and COMCASA were signed; now, with BECA, these have been dubbed the ...

India and the US signed LEMOA last August, giving the militaries of both countries access to each other’s facilities for supplies and repairs. The Indian Navy vessels INS Kadmatt (P29), left, and INS Satpura (F48) (AP/PTI/File Photo) In a significant step forward in the increasing military cooperation between India and the US, a US Navy tanker refuelled an Indian Navy ship in the Sea of Japan this week. This is the first time an Indian ship has been refuelled at sea by a US tanker, an activity facilitated by operationalisation of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Association (LEMOA) between the two countries. INS Satpura, an Indian Navy stealth frigate, was refuelled by USNS John Ericsson, a US Navy tanker, as a Replenishment at Sea (RAS) activity carried out under Exercise PASSEX (participation exercise). Besides INS Satpura, INS Kadmatt and a Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force vessel, J S Inazuma, also participated in the exercise, which was conducted from November 3-6 in the Se...